Marine Propeller Structure

ABSTRACT

A marine propeller which comprises at least two blades ( 2 ) each having one body ( 3 ) and one vane ( 5 ) and connection members ( 6 ) enabling the blades ( 2 ) to be fixed and wherein the blades ( 2 ) composed by the one-piece vane ( 5 ) and the bodies ( 3 ) are attached to one another and the bodies ( 3 ) compose the central hub of the propeller ( 1 ) that will be fitted into the ship&#39;s shaft after mounting.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a marine propeller structure.

In the state of the art, in order to produce a propeller firstly a modelof the propeller is made and then the whole propeller is casted intothis mold by preparing molds from this model. The propeller is roughlyformed when it is removed from the mold. A homogeneous structure is notformed in the propeller removed from the mold and in order that thepropeller is put into its final form it must be processed by machine ormanually after the process of removal from the mold. Processingcapacities of precision machines are variable. Therefore, difficultiesare experienced in finding a device so as to process the propelleraccording to propeller sizes. Processing of overlapped blades is verydifficult; this structure is bulky and very prone to error formation.For this reason, propellers removed from the mold have to be processedby hand machines in most cases. While the propeller is being processed,desired objectives cannot be achieved for 100 percent and this leads toloss of performance in propellers.

Due to all said disadvantages mentioned, production of propeller bladesseparately is possible as well. After the separated propeller bladesproduced are put into their final form by precision machines, they areassembled using various connection members (6) and additional fastenersand enabled to compose the propeller.

Some applications in the state of the art are disclosed in the UnitedStates patent documents no. US2008/0166933A1 and no. U.S. Pat. No.6,537,031B1, the Great Britain Patent document no. GB2328251A and theChinese utility model no. CN2248162. In the said applications, propellerstructures wherein the blades can be attached/detached to/from thepropeller are disclosed. Propellers are composed by attaching the bladesto a central hub by means of connection members (6) in the saidpropellers.

The Japanese patent document no. JP 1237068 (A), another application inthe state of the art, discloses blades which compose propeller by meansof a central hub again and production method of these blades andseparate molding of these propeller blades. The blades removed from themold are mounted to a central hub.

The Great Britain Patent document no. GB 2264983 discloses a propellerstructure with no central hub. In the said propeller, the blades arefastened to an outer ring.

With the applications in the state of the art, problems arising fromshapes, positions and size of overall dimensions of the propellerblades, in the molding process are eliminated. However, the blades arefastened to a body such as a central hub by means of connection members(6) due to disintegration risks originating from the centrifugal forcecreated by the blades during rotation of the propeller. Maximum 4 bladescan be attached to these hubs. In addition, surface area ratio regardingperformance of the propeller in these propellers is close to 1/1 or lessthan this ratio.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to realize a propeller whichcan be produced simply and precisely.

Another objective of the invention is to realize a propeller havingblades all characteristics of which are equal.

Yet another objective of the invention is to realize a propeller whichhas a segmented hub having one piece in each blade.

A further objective of the invention is to realize a propellerefficiency of which can be increased i.e. proportion of the bladesurface area to the propeller area can be increased up to the ratio of1:1.5.

An additional objective of the invention is to realize a propeller towhich up to 6 blades can be attached and thus the vibration thereof isdecreased by means of its surface area performance that can reach up tothe ratio of 1:1.5, and which achieves less cavitation due to decreaseof the blade pitch angle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A propeller realized to fulfill the objectives of the present inventionis illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one of the blades composing theinventive propeller;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of one of the blades composing theinventive propeller;

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the propeller at the mountingstage;

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the propeller at the mountingstage;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the blade composing the propeller in anembodiment of the invention, from one angle;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the blade composing the propeller in theembodiment of the invention in FIG. 5, from another angle;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the propeller in the embodiment of theinvention in FIG. 5 at the mounting stage; and

FIG. 8 is another perspective view of the propeller in the embodiment ofthe invention in FIG. 5 at the mounting stage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there aredescribed in detail herein a specific preferred embodiment of theinvention. This description is an exemplification of the principles ofthe invention and is not intended to limit the invention to theparticular embodiment illustrated

The components shown in the figures are numbered individually, where thenumbers refer to the following:

1. Propeller

2. Blade

3. Body

4. and 41 Hole

5. Vane

6. Connection member

7. and 71, 72 Side surface

8. Front surface

9. Back surface

10. Female groove

11. Male groove

12. Sleeve

The inventive propeller (1) comprises at least three blades (2) eachhaving one body (3) and one vane (5), and connection members (6) atleast one for each blade (2) and enabling the blades (2) to be fixed.

The blades (2) are attached to one another by being fitted into oneanother at the mounting stage. After the mounting, bodies (3) which arethe pieces of the blades (2) compose the central hub of the propeller(1) which will be fitted into the ship's shaft.

The body (3) comprises two side surfaces (7), a front surface (8)whereby the connection members (6) enter the body (3), a back surface(9) whereby the connection members (6) exit the body (3) and holes (4,41) on these surfaces (7, 8, 9) for the connection members to fit into.

The vane (5) and the body (3) composing the blade (2) are in one piece.The propeller (1) is composed when the blades (2) are attached to oneanother. The connection members are fitted into the holes (4, 41) whichare located on the bodies (3) of the blade (2) when the propeller (1) iscomposed in order that the propeller (1) does not break into piecesduring rotation. The blades (2) are fixed to one another when theconnection members (6) are fitted into the holes (4, 41).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connection members (6)are bar-shaped.

When the ship's shaft is passed through across the propeller (1), thebody (3) is located on a side of the blade (2) facing the ship's shaft.The vane (5) is the surface of the blade (2) which extends outwards fromthe body (3). Front and back surfaces (8 and 9) of the bodies (3) of theblades (2), which will compose the propeller (1), are planar. When theblades (2) are attached to one another these surfaces (8, 9) form acircle ring on each center sections of the front and the back of thepropeller (1). Whereas the side surfaces (7) of the body (3) arespiral-shaped at desired pitch angle. The inner surfaces of the bodies(3) compose a hollow conical cylinder in order that the ship's shaft ispassed through when the blades (2) are attached to one another.

The body (3) extends along the inner surface of the vane (5)corresponding to the part into which the ship's shaft will fit acrossthe propeller (1). For each connection member (6), there are at leasttwo holes (4, 41) on the spiral body (3). While the two blades (2) arebeing fixed to one another each connection member (6) enters a hole (4or 41) on a surface of the body (3) and leaves a hole (4 or 41) on theother surface thereof.

When a blade (2) is desired to be mounted to an adjacent blade (2) nearit at the mounting stage of the blades (2) to one another; firstly therecesses of the blade (2), which arise from the pitch angle of thespiral form thereof on the side surface (7) of its body (3), areattached to the protrusions thereof, which arise from the pitch angle ofits same-shaped body (3) on the side surface (7) thereof, such that theywill complete each other. Thus, the bodies (3) of the blades (2) areengaged.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the propeller (1) comprisessix blades (2). In this embodiment, the front and the back surfaces (8,9) comprise two and the side surfaces (7) comprise four holes (4, 41).After the blades (2) are mounted to one another by engaging the bodies(3), two connection members (6) are thrust into the body (3) verticallythrough the two holes (4) on the front surface (8) of the blade (2) thebody (3) desired to be fixed. The connection members (6) fix the blades(2) to one another by both fitting into the holes (4) on the body (3)desired to be mounted and the holes (41) on the inner surface of theadjacent blade/s (2) where they are mounted. Thus, each body (3) of theblade (2) comprises two main connection members (6) that will connectitself to the other blades (2) and two connection members (6) belongingto the adjacent blades (2) which will connect the adjacent blades (2) toitself such that one connection member will come from each adjacent.

The propeller (1) also comprises at least two sleeves (12), one at thefront and one at the back side, for the connection members (6) to befixed. Each sleeve (12) is closed over the front and back surfaces (8and 9) which are the outer surfaces of the circle rings that are formedat the center sections of the front and the back of the blades (2)mounting of which is completed. The connection members (6) are fixed bybeing fitted into the sleeves (12) by means of nuts.

In an embodiment of the invention, the body (3) comprises at least onefemale groove (10) and/or at least one male groove (11) on its sidesurfaces (7). This male groove (11) and the female grooves (10) arecomposed such that while the blades (2) are being mounted to oneanother, a male groove (11) on the side surface (7) of a body (3) willcorrespond to the female groove (10) on the side surface (7) of theadjacent blade whereto it will be attached. In this embodiment, whilethe blades (2) are being mounted the bodies (3) provide both fixing bymeans of their recesses and protrusions of the spiral forms thereof andan interlocking by means of the male groove (11) and the female grooves(10) located on the side surfaces (7). In this embodiment, lastly asecond interlocking is provided by fitting the connection members (6)into the holes (4, 41). This embodiment is used in large-diameterpropellers (1) disintegration risk of which is more, for example duringrotation, in cases where the force of the load exerted on the propeller(1) during rotation is big.

In an alternative of this embodiment of the invention, there is at leastone female groove (10) on one side surface (71) of the body (3) and atleast one male groove (11) on another side surface (72) thereof. In anexample of this alternative, the female groove (10) is in the form of achannel that will across the body (3) on a side surface (71) of the body(3). In this example, the male groove (11) on the other side surface(72) of the body (3) is in the form of a protrusion that will acrossthis surface (72).

Shape of the blades (2) of the inventive propeller (1) can be producedso as to provide high efficiency; the surface area ratio can beincreased up to 1/1.5.

The fact that there is not a central hub separated form the blades (2)and the whole of the propeller (1) is only composed of blades (2)facilitated the production process and enabled the propeller (1) blades(2) to be more precise. Each blade (2) which composes the propeller (1)produced and comprises a hub piece are equal at the same weight,thickness and geometry with excellent precision. Surfaces of thepropeller (1) blades (2) are more smooth and balances of the blades (2)are equal.

It is possible to develop various embodiments of the inventive marinepropeller (1). The invention can not be limited to the examplesdescribed herein and it is essentially according to the claims.

This completes the description of the preferred and alternateembodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognizeother equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein whichequivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attachedhereto.

1. A propeller (1) comprising blades (2) and connection members (6)which enable the blades (2) to be fixed, wherein said propellercomprises at least three blades (2) each having a body (3) and a vane(5) that are produced in one-piece and mounted by being attached to oneanother.
 2. A propeller (1) according to claim 1, wherein bodies (3)compose the central hub of the propeller (1) that will be fitted to theship's shaft after mounting.
 3. A propeller (1) according to claim 1,wherein blades (2) which have bodies (3) are attached by being fittedinto one another.
 4. A propeller (1) according to claim 1, wherein saidpropeller comprises at least one connection member (6) which fix theblades (2) to one another and at least one in number for each blade (2).5. A propeller (1) according to claim 1, characterized by body (3) whichcomprises holes (4, 41), two side surfaces (7), a front surface (8)whereby the connection members (6) enter the body (3) and a back surface(9) whereby the connection members (6) leave the body (3).
 6. Apropeller (1) according to claim 1, characterized by connection members(6) which fix the blades (2) to one another by being fitted into theholes (4, 41).
 7. A propeller (1) according to claim 1, characterized inthat it comprises connection members (6) which are bar-shaped.
 8. Apropeller (1) according to claim 1, characterized by bodies (3) whichare located on a side of the blade (2) facing the ship's shaft when theship's shaft is passed through across the propeller (1) and extend alongthe inner surface of the vane (5) corresponding to the part into whichthe ship's shaft will fit across the propeller (1).
 9. A propeller (1)according to claim 8, characterized by bodies (3) which compose a hollowconical cylinder in order that their inner surfaces are passed throughthe ship's shaft when the blades (2) are attached to one another.
 10. Apropeller (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprisesbody (3) which involves front and back surfaces (8, 9) in a planarstructure.
 11. A propeller (1) according to claim 10, characterized byfront and back surfaces (8, 9) which form a circle ring on each centersections of the front and the back of the propeller (1) when the blades(2) are attached to one another.
 12. A propeller (1) according to claim1, characterized in that it comprises body (3) which has side surfaces(7) that are created in a spiral form at desired pitch angle.
 13. Apropeller (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprisessix blades (2).
 14. A propeller (1) according to claim 13, characterizedby body (3) which comprises four holes (4, 41) at each side surfaces (7)thereof.
 15. A propeller (1) according to claim 1, characterized by body(3) which has holes (4, 41) two for each connection member (6) onthereof.
 16. A propeller (1) according to claim 1, characterized byconnection member (6) which fix two blades (2) to one another byentering a hole (4 or 41) on a surface of the body (3) and leaving ahole (4 or 41) on the other surface thereof.
 17. A propeller (1)according to claim 12, characterized by blade (2) recesses of whicharising from the pitch angle of the spiral form thereof on the sidesurface (7) of its body (3) are mounted to an adjacent blade (2) near itsuch that they will complete the protrusions arising from the pitchangle on the side surface (7) of its body (3) in the same form that willbe adjacent to itself after mounting.
 18. A propeller (1) according toclaim 10, characterized by blade (2) which is fixed to the adjacentblades (2) near it with the connection members (6) being thrust into thebody (3) vertically through the two holes (4) on the front surface (8)of the body (3) thereof.
 19. A propeller (1) according to claim 5,characterized by connection members (6) which fix the blades (2) to oneanother both by fitting into the holes (4) on the body (3) of the blade(2) mounted and into the holes (41) on the inner surface of the adjacentblade/s (2) where the said blade (2) is mounted.
 20. A propeller (1)according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two sleeves(12) which are closed over the front and back surfaces (8, 9) of thebodies (3) of the blades (2) mounting of which are completed.
 21. Apropeller (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises abody (3) including at least one female groove (10) and/or at least onemale groove (11) on the side surfaces (7) thereof.
 22. A propeller (1)according to claim 21, characterized by male grooves (11) and femalegrooves (10) which are composed such that a male groove (11) on the sidesurface (7) of a body (3) corresponds to a female groove (10) on theside surface (7) of the adjacent blade whereto it will be attached. 23.A propeller (1) according to claim 22, characterized by body (3) whichcomprises at least one female groove (10) on one side surface (71)thereof and at least one male groove (11) on another side surface (72)thereof.
 24. A propeller (1) according to claim 23, characterized by abody (3) which comprises at least one channel-shaped female groove (10)that will across the body (3) on one side surface (71) thereof and onanother side surface (72) thereof, at least one protrusion-shaped malegroove (11) that will across this surface (72) of the body (3).